I feel sad for you if you see work only as a way to make money. A good job with a team that is working together towards a goal is a very satisfying experience. I would be unhappy to be very wealthy without a job. There are many people who end up lost because they don’t have a sense of purpose, and a job helps with that.
Re:Underrated Reasons to Be Thankful
by someelephant on Thursday November 25, 2021 @09:58PM
(#29347125)
I agree with everything you're saying except for your usage of purpose. To me, life is not about doing meaningful and purposeful things. It's about satisfying yourself. With the right incentives, we can satisfy ourselves in ways that are meaningful and purposeful. Finding the right work with the right people is extremely satisfying. If you don't enjoy your work, it's likely you are not working on the right things or you have some mental health issues which are lingering beneath the surface.
It can be both. I would guess that most people, once they have satisfied their basic needs, begin to strive to help their kids, their friends, their community, and possibly even their country and/or world.
Re:Underrated Reasons to Be Thankful
by WalterBright on Thursday November 25, 2021 @07:49PM
(#29346534)
> A job is just how you happen to get them
I happen to enjoy my job very much. I'd feel useless and bored without it.
If you didn't have to worry about money, you'd have ample time to find fulfilling hobbies to occupy your time.
You could even do all the parts of your job that you enjoy, while skipping all the unpleasant parts of it.
Re:Underrated Reasons to Be Thankful
by WalterBright on Thursday November 25, 2021 @07:58PM
(#29346581)
I created my own job by starting my own business, which I enjoyed a lot and it paid well.
> Would you be unhappy to be very wealthy, without a job?
Absolutely. Working on stuff for my job that I’m passionate about gives me great fulfillment. Being paid for my skills is recognition from society as to the value I provide.
Eh, between the two, I'd reckon it'd be foolish not to go with the wealth. I can always get a job, or use the breathing room provided by wealth to gain skills for a job. The inverse is not nearly as reliable.
I think you've got that backwards. Everyone is thankful for money and possessions. A job is just how you happen to get them. Would you be unhappy to be very wealthy, without a job?
> seeing the homelessness crisis in full swing is an ever present reminder of what this economy and this society can do to you if you slip up for even a second and / or have even a minor run of bad luck.
I've known a lot of homeless people. Their circumstances are overwhelmingly caused by drug addition or mental illness. Not that anyone will admit to it.
If you're willing and able to work full-time, you can manage a reasonable living. There are government and private programs to support the disabled, unemployed, keep the impoverished who don't fit those categories from starving, etc. Not to mention charities, and friends/family groups who will help most anyone who doesn't get enough support from those programs, or just had "bad luck". Mental illness and drug addition does a good job of cutting you off from all those sources of support.